Jokul and Rialla are blindfolded and led through the woods to the elven city hidden within, their escorts intent on obtaining information. What lies in store for them, however, could be the answers they've been looking for.
Learning that the group wants to pass through the woods on their way to Kidohlva, the elves offer passage provided the trespassers agree to be blindfolded. Jokul and Rialla are brought ahead of their companions, their destination an elven city hidden among the trees. Upon arriving, the couple is detained by a council for questioning. One of the elves, Mira, is brought in to read their aura and determine whether or not they tell the truth.
Once the interrogation passes, it is suggested that the pair talk to Tyr, a respected magic user. Mira apologizes for the behavior of her fellow Kinder-Kai and acts as a personal escort to Tyr's dwelling. Upon meeting her, Rialla discovers that the elf has powers similar to hers. Over tea, Rialla and Jokul are given an offer that must have been ordained by the fates. Will they accept this new development or turn it away to wander the unknown lands of Rejiev?
Follow Dax @GM_Dax, Cole @ColeMorreale and Wren @ThornyDryad
Transcript by CJ Kallevig
Upbeat piano intro ends [00:28]
Melancholy piano fades in [00:30]
Dax: Jokul and Rialla, you stand near Eight and Arthas, surrounded by more than 15 of these Elves. All but one armored from head to toe in leather armor, the bottom half of their faces covered by masks. Their hoods up, over their heads. The apparent leader of the group stands in front of you, mask down so that you can see their face.
Dax (as the Elf): [masc, british accent] I suppose if getting information and getting through the woods is your goal, in order to do that, you’ll have to go through the city. Most outsiders don’t know how to traverse this wood. So therefore I would ask that you allow us to blindfold you until we get there. Is that acceptable to you?
Cole (as Rialla): Fair enough.
James (as Jokul): I’ll accept a blindfold but my weapons are mine.
Dax (as the Elf): That is fair.
Dax: The leader reaches into a pack at their side and pulls out a couple strips of cloth, blindfolds you. You can feel, each of you feel a hand on your left shoulder as one of the Elves gently guides you forward. You walk through the woods, what seems like an hour for you but it could be even just 15 minutes. If you come near anything you have to step over, you hear a gentle whisper of ‘lift your foot’ or ‘there’s a branch ahead’ or ‘we’re coming up near water, so just be careful’. So, it’s not like any of this leading is malicious. They are very gentle with you, they are very careful to make sure that you don’t hurt yoursElf. After a while, you start to hear the sounds of many voices. You can hear the sounds of water rushing, and life. You start to feel the sky brighten beyond those blindfolds, and you can conjecture that the woods are opening up. You don’t have that dark, thick canopy above you anymore. You’re asked to stop and told you can remove your blindfolds.
James: I go ahead and stop and do it.
Cole: Yep, same.
Dax: When you do, you see before you a massive city. All built into the trees. Ahead of you, sprawling on the ground, are various huts and they’re made of wood and moss-covered roofs. You can see people milling about. Up in the high tops of the trees, there are more buildings built into the canopy, almost like treehouses. There are wooden rope bridges connecting these tall trees. You can see the sky above you is wide and vast, blue speckled with puffy clouds.
The Elves here, that you can see, are not dressed the way your escorts are. They are wearing bright fabrics, very reminiscent of the colors of nature. So dark greens, bright blues, the pinks and purples and yellows of flowers. People have feathers in their hair, glass beads hanging down from their necks. A few of them stop to look at you as you are led further into the city by your escorts.
Eventually, you are led to an entryway at the base of a tree and a couple of Elves go in front, the rest wait behind you for you to follow. And as you walk down these stairs, you start to go farther and farther underground. The tree seems to have been carved out into a tunnel, and eventually you run into a tunnel that has been carved out of the dirt itsElf. You can see roots pouring down from the ceiling. You can see bits of stonework that have been put in just enough to keep the tunnel stable. You walk by a row of doors and eventually one is opened up. The Elf gestures for you to go inside. If you peek inside, you see that there are a few chairs, a table, and a basin of water.
Cole: So, it’s just a basin of water in the room?
Dax: It’s a room with a table and some chairs, and sorry not a basin, a pitcher, a pitcher of water.
Cole: Oh, okay. I was like… [chuckles]
James: I also assume, since we are being led into an underground cave, it’s not big enough for Maeve and Bessie. Like…
Dax: Well Bessie stayed back. Yeah, Maeve would have been left at the entryway.
Cole: Yeah, I assume we would have tied Maeve off.
James: Assuming that they’re parting us, like if any of the Elves are left behind with Maeve, Jokul grabs that one and goes like,
James (as Jokul): You take care of my horse, or you die.
Dax: You just see the Elf was wide-eyed like, just nodding their head ‘yes, yes’.
James: Jokul’s just satisfied with that, be like, ‘okay I’m good’.
Cole: Yeah, I think I would kind of.. how many Elves are with us?
Dax: So there are two that stand at the entryway to the door. One is actually holding the door and gesturing towards the room. Three or four are behind you.
Cole: Okay, so after entering the room and assuming that they followed behind me, I’d kind of look to them. Sort of, kind of waiting to see what they say, hands crossed in front of me and being as non-threatening as possible.
Dax: Do you sit or do you stand?
Cole: I stand, until instructed to sit.
Dax: The three Elves that were behind you do not follow, the two that were at the door do not close the door, but rather they stand just inside the room with their backs to the entryway. They stand, mimicking your motions, where their hands are crossed in front of their arms and indicating that they are also trying to be as non-threatening as possible. In fact, they don’t even really look at you. They stare straight ahead at the opposite wall. Now, this room is probably the biggest amount of stonework you’ve seen so far. The entire room itself is probably eleven by eleven in size, it is all stone. Very smooth wall, it doesn’t smell musty, it just smells gravelly.
It isn’t long before you start to hear feet coming down the hallway and the two Elves separate. What enters the room are four people. One is an Elf that wears very simple, pale blue robes. The hair is long and silvered, the eyes a bright green. The other appears to be much older, wearing darker dark green robes, animal pelts slung like a stole over it. A couple of gemstones dangling from one of their ears. And the other two just appear to be simple guards, their armor shines bright. Their spears, sharpened and hitched to their back. The two Elves in the robes take two of the seats and look at you and gesture to the other seats opposite them.
Cole: I kind of give a sideways glance to Jokul.
James (as Jokul): Unless there is a custom in play that we must be seated, I’ll stand.
Cole: I just move a little closer to Jokul.
Dax: The one in the pale blue robes crosses their fingers, lacing them, and places them palm down on their legs. The older Elf looks at the two of you.
Dax (as the older Elf): [masc, british accent] So, I hear you were found out in the woods. And you claimed to be just travelers, looking to get to Kidohlva. Is that correct?
Cole (as Rialla): Oui, that is correct.
Dax: The Elf looks at both of you, each in turn.
James: I nod.
Dax (as the older Elf): It’s interesting to hear that an Adar-Kai and a human woman would be traveling through the woods when everyone knows not to come through these woods. What made you decide to go this way?
Cole (as Rialla): We’re not from around here. There wasn’t exactly a sign saying don’t come into the woods. And we were following our map and found ourselves here.
Dax (as the older Elf): And what, pray tell, do you wish to find at Kidohlva?
Cole (as Rialla): There was an incident, a mysterious happening in the city of Saleen, all of the children went missing. We were told that we might be able to find answers in Kidohlva. So we have been making our way from Saleen to Kidohlva these last few months.
Dax (as the older Elf): Ah, yes. I’d heard about that. I’d heard that every single child under the age of majority went missing without a trace. No sound, no sight, no trail. I’d also heard a rumor that those that had agreed to go look for them have not reported to Lady Benjamina and had gone missing. Now, rumors so seldom come to these woods from the outside. We don’t…we don’t generally welcome outsiders, as you can plainly see.
Cole (as Rialla): It’s understandable.
Dax: The old Elf looks over at Jokul.
Dax (as the older Elf): I can see why my people thought you might be Adar-Kai, but you don’t…
Dax: The Elf squints, as if trying to study your face.
Dax (as the older Elf): Something’s not right about the facial structure. Are you a half-breed?
James (as Jokul): I am not. I am simply not one of these Adar-Kai I’ve heard of.
Cole (as Rialla): We’re from out of the Far Way.
Dax (as the older Elf): And where might that be?
Cole (as Rialla): Not…not this plane.
Dax (as the older Elf): Well that is one I’ve never heard of. Plane-hopping is not a standard thing that most people can do. From what I gather.
Cole (as Rialla): A last resort.
Dax (as the older Elf): And what do you call yourselves?
Cole (as Rialla): I am Rialla.
James (as Jokul): I’m Jokul.
Dax: The other Elf, the one in the pale blue robes, has not said a word the entire time. They just stared at you.
James: Are they doing magic with their hands or are they?
Dax: Nope. Just sitting there. Their palms down on their thighs, staring straight ahead. Not even looking at your faces when you talk, not showing any emotion. When you say your names, they reach over and put a hand on the other Elf’s shoulder. The two lean in close and you can see the one in the pale blue robes whispering to the other. After a time, they separate and the Elf that has been speaking to you this entire time says,
Dax (as the older Elf): Mira says that you are who you say you are. That you speak the truth. We are going to set you free, allow you to explore the city as you will, gather supplies, do what you need to do. However, Mira..
Dax: And the Elf looks at you, Rialla.
Dax (as the older Elf): ..suggests that perhaps there is a certain person in our society that you might find interesting to talk to. If you would be willing.
Cole (as Rialla): And who might that be?
Dax (as the older Elf): Tyr, a magic user.
Cole (as Rialla): Tyr. I haven’t heard the name before. Where, um, who are they?
Dax (as the older Elf): It might be better for Tyr to explain on her own. If this is someone you’d be interested in meeting, I will have Mira escort you, without guards, to her home.
Cole (as Rialla): I don’t see why not.
Dax: The older Elf nods, waves to the two guards and two of your escorts from earlier, and everyone leaves the room except for Mira, who does nothing more than give a polite bow before speaking and saying,
Dax (as Mira): [femme, british accent] I am sorry if this has frightened you. My people have not had much contact with outsiders for the last 400 years. Certainly changes your attitude towards visitors. And I apologize if you have felt un-welcomed or under threat.
Dax: You see a small smile quirk the corner of the Elf’s lip.
Dax (as Mira): But from what I hear, one of your companions gave some of my people a run for their money. So perhaps, next time they run into a Giant-kin they won’t be so quick to draw their bows. I was brought here specifically to read your auras and make sure that you were who you say you were. Forgive us for any deception.
Dax: And Mira bows their head again.
Cole: I’ll bow back politely.
Cole (as Rialla): It’s understandable, no offense taken. I think we, better than anyone understand just wanting to be safe.
Dax (as Mira): As the councilor said, I will gladly lead you to Tyr. Is there anything that we can do for you before? Perhaps a bath, something to eat? Some time to rest? I don’t really know how long you were lost in the woods and I don’t like to make assumptions.
Cole: How long has it been since we rested? I don’t even know. [laughs]
James: We did rest in the cabin so..
Cole: Yeah, so it hasn’t been that long.
Dax: No, it’s been, trying to think, like maybe half a day or something like that since you guys got up and left. Because you didn’t leave the cabin until almost ten o’clock I think. So it’s probably like later afternoon, it might be getting close to dinnertime?
Cole (as Rialla): We should be okay to go talk to Tyr, right?
Cole: Asking Jokul.
James (as Jokul): I’m fine to do so.
Dax (as Mira): Alright then. If you’ll follow me then. If you change your mind at any time on the way, just let me know and we’ll find you whatever it is you need.
Dax: She heads back down the tunnel that you came through out into the city. She goes further in. The city isn’t constructed like many cities you’ve been to, where it’s either in a spoke wheel or in a grid. It is very haphazard, doesn’t appear to be too well organized between residential districts and markets. It just seems that as you wander, there appear to be dwellings and then over here there may be somebody selling furs or there’s somebody over here roasting meats for consumption. It almost seems like a big conglomeration of villages more than a well-organized city.
People stop and stare at you as you walk by, but once you’re out of view, they seem to go back about their daily lives. Eventually, Mira leads you up a small hill where a single house stands on its own. This house actually is built out of stone and the roof itself is what appears to be a whole mess of tree branches that have been woven in together. You can see that smoke is pouring out from the center. When you get to the door, Mira knocks three times. And when the door opens, an Elf with black hair and a tattoo on their face, very similar to the shopkeeper that you met in Kadiba, Rialla. Skin is a pale olive, and the eyes are a deep black. Mira bows very deeply towards Tyr.
Dax (as Mira): I have brought you some, milady, that you might find interesting. Particularly the one called Rialla.
Dax: And Mira turns to the two of you, gives a very slight bow.
Dax (as Mira): If you need anything at all, just ask Tyr to make contact with us.
Dax: And Mira leaves. You are left standing in front of this Elf, who looks to be almost as if you interrupted their supper. You can smell something that has been cooking wafting through the door, you can smell roasting chicken almost. You can smell potatoes that have been cooked on an open fire.
Cole: I will copy what Mira did, I’ll also bow.
Cole (as Rialla): It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rialla and this is my partner, Jokul.
James: I nod and give a slight bow.
Dax (as Tyr): [in slightly sultry femme voice] Ah, I can see why Mira brought you to me.
Dax: Tyr looks at you each in turn, and then stops and stares specifically at you, Rialla. She leans in a little closer, getting very close into that personal bubble.
Cole: I don’t flinch.
Dax (as Tyr): You see the spirits of the dead, don’t you?
Cole (as Rialla): I do. But how did you know that?
Dax: She smiles and then her eyes go white, almost like yours do when you go into your.. the depths of your abilities. You can see tendrils start to darken on her face as if every vein in her body are coming closer to the surface. And then in a flash, her face is back to normal.
Cole: I furrow my brow and cock my head, and am sort of left speechless.
Cole (as Rialla): I, um, how…?
Dax (as Tyr): Would the two of you like to come in and have something to eat or something to drink? I was just sitting down to supper, I was not expecting company. But I can share what I have. I personally think you and I need to have a little talk.
Cole: I look up to Jokul and look back to her and..
Cole (as Rialla): I would definitely be most interested in speaking with you.
Dax: She goes back into her hut and waits for you to follow.
Cole: I..we follow?
James: Jokul will wave you forward and he’ll follow behind you and I’ll close the door behind.
Dax: Inside the hut, it’s a dirt floor. There’s a crackling fire on one side, and you can see her pouring something, what you can assume to be water, from a pitcher into a teapot. She sets it on the crook over the flame. She gets a couple of cups. Rialla, as you look around, you notice that there are various herbs that are hanging from the ceiling. You can see that there are jars full of liquids and pastes, all on shelves along the wall.
It feels very reminiscent, in a lot of ways, of the apartment that you left so long ago. You can smell the familiar scent of rosemary, of thyme. You can see that there are drying roots on a table in the far corner, a mortar and a pestle. She sits down at the table and gestures at the platter of food that is in the center. You can see it’s a roasted fowl of some sort. There are the potatoes, there are other root vegetables.
Dax (as Tyr): If you would like any, please, help yourself. Otherwise, feel free to relax. The tea will be a bit.
Cole: I nod and I am still sort of like flabbergasted, I guess. Being taken aback. I feel like after I nod, I’m still taking in the room and remembering how her face looked like mine for a moment. That’s kind of where Rialla’s at, I think.
James: Jokul doesn’t really understand the magic that Rialla can manifest, so it’s just like ‘another magic person, that’s important.’ Yeah, just join Rialla at the dinner table, be supportive. Just hanging out, like unless I gotta go away because you guys are talking secret magic mumbo-jumbo that’s between magic people, I will just sit there and be supportive. Be like, ‘alright, eat a potato’.
Dax: The number of times that Jokul has said ‘eat a potato’ in this campaign. [laughs]
James: But yeah, Jokul’s just hanging out unless Tyr looks like she needs assistance. Like, I would offer to assist her like if she’s doing meal prep work, she’s just cruising around like ‘I can’t make tea, that’s Rialla’s but if you need me to grab a plate off a wall or do something like that’.
Dax: So you’re doing that itchy thing that some guests do when they enter a house for a sec, ‘I want to help but I don’t really know where everything is but if you need it, just let me know!’
James: Yeah.
Dax: Tyr sits there and watches the two of you kind of start to feel comfortable, or not, in her home. She watches your faces as you absorb your surroundings.
Dax (as Tyr): So, Rialla, I’m curious. I’ve only ever known one other person who can do what I can do. How did you learn such magic?
Cole (as Rialla): I was born with it. I, [soft chuckle], I remember being very small and my parents would say that I had a bad habit of talking to things that weren’t there. Even though I could see them. I used to blindfold myself when I would see the scarier ones. Where I come from, where my family gets their magic from, mine was nothing like it. I was sent away for it.
Dax (as Tyr): Were you sent here? To these woods?
Cole (as Rialla): No. I was sent to a monastery, I grew up there and after another unfortunate incident, I sort of, I almost sort of lost the connection that I had. It was, that led me to Jokul eventually.
Cole: Rialla is twisting the ring on her finger very anxiously, and is sort of just looking at her hands. Almost a little pained, to be talking about it.
Dax (as Tyr): It’s not a very easy memory for you, is it?
Cole (as Rialla): No. He’s the only one that knows the whole story.
Dax: Tyr looks at you, Jokul.
Dax (as Tyr): You haven’t led an easy life either, have you?
James (as Jokul): Life is hardly easy. Some just get a bigger dose of it.
Dax (as Tyr): That’s very true, but I feel like..
Dax: She cocks her head a little bit.
Dax (as Tyr): I feel like there is something in your past that still haunts you. Something beyond the pains that normally accompany life.
Cole: Absentmindedly, Rialla will take Jokul’s hand.
James: I kind of tense at that, Rialla would feel it more than he shows it. Like, just like, the whole jaunt through the haunted cabin kind of still fresh. Rialla can feel that tension in him but he doesn’t make it known to Tyr.
Cole: I give your hand a squeeze.
Dax (as Tyr): I imagine Mira, well, I shouldn’t make assumptions as to what Mira was thinking. So, you didn’t come here because you were banished and you apparently were not here upon an invite if you had to go see Mira. How did you come into our woods?
Cole (as Rialla): We were traveling and we’re not from here and didn’t know not to come.
Dax (as Tyr): Traveling out this far, you must be seeking something.
Cole (as Rialla): We were helping out Lady Benjamina from Saleen. Our destination passed through here.
Dax (as Tyr): Oh. That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.
Dax: You see her rest her hand on her chin.
Dax (as Tyr): I’d heard rumors that something happened in Saleen, but the councilors aren’t sharing much of the details. Honestly, as long as it doesn’t affect us, right now I’m not too worried about it.
Dax: You start to hear the pot whistling. She gets up and grabs a cloth and removes it off the heat. She grabs some sachets…not sachets…sachets, because that’s how you pronounce it. [chuckles] Sachets. Pops them into the three mugs and pours the steaming water over it. Then she replaces the pot. She doesn’t grab the mugs, she just leaves them on the table. She takes her seat back, next to the two of you. You can see that she’s looking slightly up and off to the right, as if she’s thinking.
Dax (as Tyr): So, Rialla, if you’ve had these abilities since you were born, you must have good control over them.
Cole (as Rialla): A little better. I..they didn’t really, no one where I grew up had the abilities that I had. I was sort of on my own.
Dax (as Tyr): I have lived nearly 600 years. And the only other person that I knew that could do this was my twin sister. I’m curious, did you used to walk into the spirit realm when you were in your own plane of existence? Was that closed off to you?
Cole (as Rialla): I remember walking in cemeteries and I would speak to spirits normally. I didn’t know they were spirits at the time. I don’t know. Everyone was afraid of me so I think I sort of became afraid of myself. I… I do also have this.
Cole: And I’ll pull out the mirror and unwrap the velvet cloth. I hold out the mirror.
Dax: She goes first to reach out, as if she were going to grab it, and then she stops and pulls her hand back.
Dax (as Tyr): May I look at it?
Cole (as Rialla): Mhmm.
Dax: She’ll take the mirror from you.
Cole (as Rialla): It was a gift. It’s…
Cole: I’ll gesture to the crest on the back.
Cole (as Rialla): That’s my family’s house, Lenoir.
Dax: She studies the crest for a little while and then she flips the mirror back over and looks into the black glass, as if searching its depths. She doesn’t try to activate it, she hands it back to you.
Dax (as Tyr): Rialla, have you ever spoken with the patron spirit of your family house?
Cole (as Rialla): Ah, he’s not a spirit.
Cole: I ponder for a minute and, I’m still holding Jokul’s hand. I think I’ve started playing with the ring on his finger too [laughs]. Just nervous habit.
Cole (as Rialla): Have you, have you heard of Thevenoud?
Dax: She shakes her head.
Cole (as Rialla): Mount Celestia?
Dax: Again, shakes her head.
Cole (as Rialla): It’s a land of angels. My family is descendant of Pravuil, the archangel of recorded history and knowledge. The unfortunate incident I mentioned was when he died. All the clerics of Pravuil perished, I did not. Instead I lost my wings. I fell. Pravuil never spoke to me. After I fell, I was taken in by the Church of Corvusa and she, she’s helped me understand myself a little bit better. And she’s the one that talks to me.
Dax: Tyr grabs the three mugs. You see her scoop out the packets, and hands each of you a mug and then places one in front of herself. She grasps it with both hands, and you can see her tapping her fingertips along the outside of it.
Dax (as Tyr): I have never heard of these names before. But then again, I’ve never been on any plane other than this one. I find it interesting that one could lose their patron and not go with them. It’s very interesting. But given your abilities, it does not surprise me. And perhaps, if you were taken in by clerics of this Corvusa, it’s possible that fate was on your side.
Cole (as Rialla): On this plane, she’s known as Baradesh.
Dax: Her eyes widen when you say that name.
Cole: I’m gauging her reaction.
Dax (as Tyr): You were taken in by clerics of the goddess of death. Then it seems that fate was on your side that night. Of all the patrons in this world, I hear she is the most fickle and yet, the most fiercely loyal to her devotees. Perhaps you were chosen.
Cole (as Rialla): I don’t know about that but I know that she’s been with me. I trust her.
Dax: Tyr side-eyes you, Jokul.
Dax (as Tyr): Rialla was found by clerics of the goddess of fate and death. And then she found you. That is most interesting. Have you…are you also a worshipper of Baradesh?
James (as Jokul): I have picked up the habit by association, but I’ve never considered myself a particularly religious person.
Dax: Are your hands visible, Jokul? I know you two said you’re kind of holding onto each other and using each other as a sort of comfort. Are they visible or are they under the table?
James: I imagine they’d be under the table just because that’d be where it’d be most comfortable. Unless there’s like an armrest level with the chair.
Dax: Okay.
Dax (as Tyr): Rialla, I’m curious. Would you…my kind don’t live forever and eventually, well, before I ask I suppose I should tell you a little bit about myself. [soft chuckle] You’ve been so giving of your own pasts. I am what the outer world calls a Spellweaver. About 400 years ago, when the great war came, people with my abilities were in charge of making sure that we could counteract the mages that the Empire held.
We summoned devils to fight on our side, some of them remained on the planes afterwards, when they agreed that they wouldn’t cause mayhem and mischief. But since the war, we dispersed. Some of our tactics were not so humane, you could say. Some of them not so…not approved by those in higher ranks. We went off into hiding, those of us that survived. My sister was not one of them. I’ve been here ever since, in hiding. This may come across as very selfish, but would you be willing to stay here? You know my magic just as well as I know yours. I…
Dax: You can see her start to fiddle with the cup in front of her.
Dax (as Tyr): I could teach you all sorts of things. I could teach you how to walk into the spirit realm and talk face to face, not just with the physical manifestations that some ghosts provide on this realm, you could actually talk to people that you know that have died. People that you don’t know, I could teach you to control your abilities to the point where if you don’t want to see visions of death, you won’t. I could teach you to extend your life.
Dax: And at that, she looks at Jokul.
Dax (as Tyr): I can teach you all manner of things.
Cole (as Rialla): She mentioned the Spellweavers.
Dax (as Tyr): Who did?
Cole (as Rialla): Baradesh.
Dax (as Tyr): And what did she say about us?
Cole (as Rialla): That if I found you, I’d find answers. She also doesn’t know why I can do what I can do.
Dax (as Tyr): Our abilities are outside of her domain. Our understanding is that the gods are not omnipotent. That they are limited to what their domains hold. I’m not surprised that she doesn’t know everything about you, but she seems to have picked you for a purpose. If she is speaking to you and guiding.
Cole: I glance over at Jokul, kind of gauging his reaction and waiting for him to give his thoughts.
James (as Jokul): If we are to stay here so you can better understand your power, somebody else will have to take up the mantle and go to Kidohlva in our stead. Eight and Arthas will need assistance, I’m sure. If they choose to go on by themselves. The least we could do is find them replacement companions.
Cole (as Rialla): This is probably equally as selfish, but they wouldn’t find us here either.
Cole: Looking to Jokul.
James (as Jokul): You’re not wrong.
Dax (as Tyr): Who is looking for you?
Cole (as Rialla): A group that we were roped into against our will, rather secretive and one in particular is not our biggest fan, so to speak.
Dax (as Tyr): I wouldn’t be too worried about people finding you here. I’m actually rather surprised that you got as close to the city as you did. The woods outside are twisted, part of it has to do with the Kinder-Kai, that I have been living with for the past several hundred years. Other reasons, I’ve been told, I have not gone out to verify it for myself, as let’s face it, who wants to test this out. The Kinder-Kai have told me that there are holes in the world, holes that would lead you to other realms. Other planes of existence. Almost as if the seam between our worlds has been ripped apart. People could stumble upon it without realizing it. Apparently these rips…
Dax: You can see she shivers a little bit at the thought.
Dax (as Tyr): That these rips appear out of nowhere. The city itself is protected, I’m not entirely sure how. But the woods are full of magic and incantations. So unless people know how to find the city, they can’t scry on it and they can’t find their way here without an escort.
Dax: She looks at the two of you.
Dax (as Tyr): I’m sure that you were brought here under blindfold.
Cole (as Rialla): Indeed. Feeling rather lucky we didn’t stumble onto one of these rips.
Dax (as Tyr): I’m surprised you didn’t myself. Have you, did you know how to get through the woods?
Cole (as Rialla): No.
Dax (as Tyr): Is that why you risked it?
Cole (as Rialla): We are pretty woefully uneducated when it comes to this plane. We arrived here about what, a few months ago?
Dax: Yeah, you guys have been in Rejiev for almost three months at this point.
Dax (as Tyr): I of course don’t want to take you away from anything important. But, the reason I told you about myself and the reason that I would like for you to stay, aside from the selfish reason of being able to actually talk and create with somebody who has the same abilities that I do. I hold a specific function in this city. The Kinder-Kai are very deep in the magics of nature and the spirits that reside therein. They don’t… they don’t understand how to cross the threshold and pierce the veil beyond the realm of the living, the in-between.
They use my abilities for knowledge, for peace when a loved one is lost. I however, will not live forever. And it’s getting to the point where I can extend my life but I’m not sure I want to. But there also is that guilt of, if I leave them, what’s to become of them? They’ve had access to my abilities for 400 years. It’s not magic that can be taught, you have to be able to be born with it. If this is something you would be willing to do, this mantle that you’d be willing to take on, you and Jokul would have whatever you needed. I’m sure they would show you the same kindness that they showed me.
Dax: She smiles a little bit.
Dax (as Tyr): They were not exactly friendly to me either, when I first arrived. But I’m sure if they realize you’re my apprentice and my soon to be replacement that they’d get over any issues quickly. What do you think? Do you have any questions for me?
Cole (as Rialla): None that I can think of at this moment. Though, if it would be alright with you, I think Jokul and I would like to talk things over together.
Dax (as Tyr): Of course. You’re welcome to do that here, I can leave you to have something to eat. Or if you would like, I could show you to the park and, I call it a park because that’s what we called it back in my home. They don’t call it that. Some habits you don’t break over 400 years. I can take you there and you can have a moment of solitude. It’s up to you.
Cole: I’ll glance over at Jokul.
Cole (as Rialla): Is there anything else that we’re forgetting?
James (as Jokul): She was curious how we got through the forest and well, you weren’t entirely inaccurate that we were woefully unprepared for exploring this region. We did have some otherworldly assistance.
Dax (as Tyr): What do you mean?
James (as Jokul): We found a cabin in the woods that apparently, I wouldn’t call it haunted but it was certainly occupied by, I don’t know, a ghost? Spirit?
Dax: Tyr looks at you, Rialla.
Cole (as Rialla): This was odd. For all intents and purposes, she was a person. It wasn’t until morning… One night, when we got there, everything was, the house looked lived in. It was warm and then the next day everything hadn’t been touched. It was covered in dust, everything was broken, and I stumbled upon their graves. I couldn’t get answers from her though, I tried asking her and her spirit was… I wasn’t speaking with her. They were… she communicated in feelings.
Dax: She nods slowly every time you add a different piece to the puzzle.
Dax (as Tyr): You said you found graves. Do you remember the names?
Cole: I look to Jokul.
James (as Jokul): The names were an eerie parody of my first wife. The ghost called herself Ray.
Cole (as Rialla): And the daughter’s name.
Cole: I have not let go of Jokul’s hand, especially in this particular moment.
Cole (as Rialla): I also found her husband’s grave, and his name was James. He was an Adar-Kai.
Dax: She sits there for a minute and then [deep inhale] breathes in deeply and closes her eyes. When she opens them, they’re pure white and she is stock still for maybe 30 seconds and then her eyes shift back to normal.
Dax (as Tyr): There is a fairytale, I call it a fairytale. I’ve never been able to verify it. That the children tell of an Adar-Kai that went off to fight in the war against the Empire. Feeling ostracized from his kind, he took up hiding in these woods. He met a Kinder-Kai, married her, had a child, went off to battle and never returned. They say that when he died, her grief manifested the magic that haunts these woods. And that part of that magic, when people enter its bubble, manifests memories of people they knew in their past. Now, if you saw someone that looked like your wife, it’s very likely that you walked into that bubble unknowingly. Hmm. Did you see anything else? Was it just the woman and the child?
Cole (as Rialla): All of our companions interacted with both of them.
James (as Jokul): We interacted with her, we… all the furnishings of the house were there. We found a journal that gave us a map of the surrounding areas. Everything was…by the time we found the map, it was the following morning and everything was covered in dust and it looked abandoned. Prior, like it was prior to us finding it.
Dax (as Tyr): Yes, it sounds in fact that that is exactly what happened. It sounds as if… the children are warned not to go to certain parts of the woods. They’re warned to avoid the areas where we know the rips in reality exist. They are told not to go to areas where they know that couple used to hunt, used to live. It sounds very much like you entered that bubble trap and that magic manifested what you wanted to see. Are you the only one that saw anything?
Cole: I feel like I’m holding his hand with one hand, and then the other hand comes on top of that.
James (as Jokul): No, we all shared the visions, I guess.
Dax (as Tyr): But you are the only one that had a memory manifest. Yes, there’s something about the magic from what I understand that it will manifest a physical form. You can touch it, you can smell it, you can talk to it. But it tends to draw on some painful memories. Which would make sense if this was your wife, potentially a child that you lost, it seems? That magic would certainly latch on to that. Grief and love are powerful emotions for weaving spells. Now, I’m sorry that you had to live through that. I can only imagine how painful that would have been. It would be like seeing my sister again.
Cole (as Rialla): Thank you.
Dax (as Tyr): As I said, it’s only conjecture, based on what I’ve heard. But it makes the most sense. If it was something that was so vivid of a memory of actual people that you know that no longer actually exist.
James: Yeah, Jokul’s not saying anything. He just nods and just kind of accepts it. Just like, ‘thank you, I needed that’.
Dax: She stands up.
Dax (as Tyr): Would you like me to leave you alone here or shall I take you somewhere where you can have some privacy?
Cole (as Rialla): We can go elsewhere. This is your home. Yeah sorry, this is a lot of information and things to consider.
Dax (as Tyr): Of course. You don’t need to apologize. I’ve sprung a lot of information on you. I’ve sprung a great request. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where to go.
Dax: She leads you a short jaunt away from her home. It’s on the outskirts of the city, you can see that there is a wide area under a canopy of trees where there are wooden benches and a small pond where birds floating atop the water.
Dax (as Tyr): Since my house is just over there.
Dax: And she points to the house up the hill.
Dax (as Tyr): Feel free to come see me when you’re ready. If you um… well, either way, I will see you when you’re ready.
Dax: And she leaves and you are left alone in this open area, with just the sounds of nature. In the distance, you can hear the sounds of the city.
Cole: And there’s no one around?
Dax: Nope, not a single person.
Cole: First thing I’m going to do is I’m going to hug Jokul, and just hold him for a minute.
Music shifts to hopeful piano [51:15]
Cole (as Rialla): Are you okay?
James (as Jokul): It’s still a fresh wound but talking about it kind of helped.
Cole: I’ll let go from the hug, my hands go down to his hands, and I pull them up to my mouth. I kiss them.
James (as Jokul): What do you think of her offer?
Cole (as Rialla): I guess it’s, I guess I feel torn because I do want to learn more and understand and maybe figure out why I was born this way. If I understood where it comes from. On the other hand, it’s so hard to… we’ve been presented with a potential safe and secure future. But what if, it’s hard to predict for the future because I, you know, things change. It is tempting though.
James (as Jokul): You’re not alone. It’s certainly tempting, but at the same time, it feels like we are abandoning the people of Saleen when we set out to potentially help them.
Cole (as Rialla): Learning from her could be helpful though. Even if we don’t stay long-term, I do think those benefits to staying at least for a little while.
James (as Jokul): Certainly. It’s more a matter of can we stay and still pursue our goal? Or should we use their magic to at least update Lady Benjamina and say Eight and Arthas will continue the quest in our stead?
Cole (as Rialla): We could do that. I was also thinking too, she said that she could walk through the spirit realm and gods forbid that anything happened to the children, but if anything did, I was able to navigate that, I could possibly get answers that way. That was one of my thoughts, anyway. We could always reconvene with them.
James (as Jokul): I feel like getting back in touch with the others would cause issue. Eight’s not likely to take separation from us in stride. It might be best if we just take this opportunity and disappear. If that’s the choice we end up making.
Cole (as Rialla): You mean, not tell them?
James (as Jokul): I would say we tell them something but I’m not entirely sure.
Cole (as Rialla): Perhaps we could phrase it as, it would be helpful for us to help them in the long run?
James (as Jokul): We’ve been on this search to find the missing children for so long and we have so little information to provide back as feedback. Calling it splitting up and sending the seeker of knowledge in our stead. Eight enjoys the pursuit of knowledge, they wouldn’t give up on this.
Cole (as Rialla): Not necessarily giving up.
James (as Jokul): No but they would understand the need to at least diversify and figure out, because going to this library is a shot in the dark. We don’t know if we will uncover anything whereas we have the potential to learn here. You have the potential to learn magic that could resolve this issue down the road. So, if Eight and Arthas continue onward without us, it’s potential that they could find something or they could find nothing. And if nothing is found, there’s still the potential for us to have found something else.
Cole (as Rialla): I guess there’s other avenues to explore and..
James (as Jokul): Exactly.
Cole (as Rialla): Another means of gathering knowledge.
James (as Jokul): It prevents us from putting all of our eggs in one basket and hoping that the library yields the knowledge we seek.
Cole (as Rialla): And you’re okay with staying here?
James (as Jokul): I see no issue with it. It will be just another adventure. Shall we go and inform Tyr or…?
Cole (as Rialla): Probably should. As long as we’re together, it’ll work out.
James (as Jokul): Agreed.
Cole: I imagine we’re sitting down.
James: Yeah, probably just hanging out on a grassy hillside.
Cole: So, once I say that, I would probably rest my head on your shoulder for a minute.
Cole (as Rialla): Shall we then?
James (as Jokul): Indeed.
James: And I’ll rise up and give her a hand, pull her to her feet.
Cole: We make our way back towards Tyr.
Dax: When you get back, she is standing outside of her hut. As if she’s been waiting.
Dax (as Tyr): Jokul, do you, I’ve been pondering while the two of you have been talking. Before I bother you about..
Dax: And she holds out her hands.
Dax (as Tyr): Before I bother you about what your decision was, could I potentially look at your palm?
James (as Jokul): I don’t see why not. Rialla’s read my palm plenty of times in the past.
James: And he’ll present his left hand.
Dax: She grabs it and looks it over. But she doesn’t look at the lines, she looks it over. She looks at the back of your hand, the same hand that Lady Baradesh touched in your vision.
Dax (as Tyr): Hmm. I bet you don’t see the black mark on your skin, do you?
James: Just look at, flips his hand over back and forth, like ‘nope, I don’t see it’.
Dax (as Tyr): It seems that you have been blessed by the goddess of death as well. A champion of sorts, able to wield power in defense of her beliefs and her…
Dax: She looks over at Rialla.
Dax (as Tyr): Protection for her warriors. Hmm. You two certainly are an interesting pair. Now, did you two decide what you would like to do?
Cole: While she was talking, I feel like Rialla had a very soft look while she was looking at Jokul. And probably the first smile Tyr has seen on her face. I think that’s because that someone else with her abilities, I think she feels more relaxed? Like she doesn’t have to be ashamed or hide or anything. So, I think that’s why. But yeah, she’s making eyes at that one over there.
Cole (as Rialla): I think so. We decided that we do want to stay. I can’t speak for the long-term, I think we both feel responsible for doing what we said we were going to do. We feel beholden to our word and with that being said, I feel that training with you and working with you could be beneficial to that goal as well. And I am open to the possibility of staying long-term.
Dax: You see a wide smile cross her face. She clasps her hands.
[Dax makes a sigh of relief as Tyr]
Dax (as Tyr): This is excellent news! Of course, I understand being beholden to promises, especially when children are involved. Alright, so the last step then, if you are going to stay, is we must go let the Council know. If you’ll just follow me, we’ll get it taken care of and we’ll work on finding you lodging because you’re going to want your own space.
Dax: She hurries forward into the city and leads you on a slightly winding path up to a large…the only other stone structure you’ve seen so far, a large stone building. Again, the roof itself is thatched branches and moss and when you walk through its wide doors, you see a vast room. The entire building itself is one large hall, and at the very far end are six seats, each one of them filled with Elves in various colored robes. So it almost looks like a rainbow sitting in front of you. One of the Elves is the one that you saw in your meeting room, we’ll call it. Because it wasn’t exactly a jail cell. Tyr walks ahead of you, her head is, her back is straight, her head is tilted up. She’s very proud. She stops maybe twenty feet in front of these six and gives a very deep bow.
Dax (as Tyr): Councilors, Rialla and Jokul were brought to me by Mira in the hopes that Rialla could gather some information from me. It appears that she possesses the same abilities that I do. I have offered and they have accepted…
Dax: And at this, she points to each of you.
Dax (as Tyr): To stay and to tutor under me. They are warriors of the goddess Baradesh.
Dax: And at that, she tilts her head up a little higher. Almost as if in defiance.
Dax (as Tyr): They are here on her mission, under her protection. I ask that you grant them citizenship among your ranks, just as you did for me 400 years ago.
Dax: And she waits. The Elf that you met in the dark green with the pelts looks to the other five. And he’s actually seated smack dab in the middle.
Dax (as the elf in green): [masc, british accent] Mira did tell me that she and her companion meant us no harm, that they are who they say they are. And Mira also told us that their spirits are pure. If Tyr wishes for an apprentice, I see no harm in it.
Dax: An Elf wearing dark, royal purple turns to the two of you. This one’s hair is dark brown, their eyes match the robes that they wear.
Dax (as the elf in purple): [slightly nasal, masc] Rialla and Jokul. I see. Every member of our society contributes, aside from Rialla being Tyr’s apprentice, what would the two of you offer to contribute and be active members?
Cole (as Rialla): I am a healer and would be able to provide medical services for simple ailments or more serious, should that happen. I am able to do that.
James (as Jokul): I’m a skilled warrior on foot, and a superior fighter from horseback. I believe my skills on foot will be more useful to you. I don’t see cavalry working very well in a forest. I have a knack for stealth and subterfuge. In a previous life, I was a farmer. If my more current skills are not satisfactory, I can fall back on those.
Dax: You’re going to be making one roll, because it’s going to be a group roll. So decide which of either Negotiation or Charm you would like to use. Unless you would like to argue that the Leadership skill would be used for more of a public speaking thing.
Cole: I think in this instance when we offered our skills, it was… I guess like, when I hear Leadership it’s showing that confidence in that skill. We didn’t hesitate or have to go hem and haw over what we were going to offer. It’s, ‘this is what we’re good at. Is this something that we could offer to you?’
Dax: Sure alright, so then I believe that means Rialla or Cole’s going to make the roll for Rialla and the difficulty will be two Purple. But give yourself two Boosts, because you have Tyr and Mira speaking on your behalf.
Cole: Three Successes and a Threat.
Dax: The next Elf, wearing dark blue, has bright yellow hair and gold eyes.
Dax (as the Elf in dark blue): [masc, british accent] Do you have any enemies that may hunt you?
Cole: Rialla will furrow her brow and she’ll say, sort of glance over towards Tyr, before looking back at who she’s speaking to.
Cole (as Rialla): We do. However, we also are not from this plane. Given how little we know about this place, it’s, I feel that it’s fair to say they would not be able to find this place.
Dax: Make another Leadership check.
Cole: I’m left with two Success.
Dax: A third Elf, robes as golden as the sun, flaming red hair and bright blue eyes. Features slightly feminine.
Dax (as the Elf in gold): [slightly femme, british accent] Would you be willing to swear an oath that if you were ever to leave this forest, you would never reveal the secrets to get into the city on pain of death?
Cole (as Rialla): Absolutely.
Dax: Roll one more check. This time, easy Difficulty, so one purple.
Cole: Two Success.
Dax: All six of them turn and look at each other and in a very strange way, they all stare intently at their own group. They don’t say anything. One by one, they turn to look at you and Tyr. The Elf in the dark green robes stands up.
Dax (as the Elf in green): You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. Apprentice to Tyr.
Dax: And the Elf bows to you, Rialla.
Dax (as the Elf in green): Champion of Baradesh.
Dax: The Elf nods at you Jokul.
Dax (as the Elf in green): Until you are able to secure lodging, you will stay with Tyr under her watchful care. Listen well and learn from her, and may the relationship formed on this day be a long and successful one.
Dax: Tyr bows her head and then turns to lead you towards your new home.
Music fades out [1:06:44]
Dax: Thanks for listening! We hope you’ll join us next time, but in the interim, follow us on Twitter @RoadsUncharted.
The “Roads Uncharted” podcast is GMed and produced by Dax, using the Genesys Roleplaying System published by Fantasy Flight Games. You can follow me on Twitter @GM_Dax.
Jokul Genhorn is played by James and Arthas, Champion of Offam is played by Neil.
Rialla Lenoir is played by Cole, follow them on Twitter @ColeMorreale and check out their art.
Eight is played by Wren, who also composed the music for our opening theme, follow them on Twitter @ThornyDryad.